


Like Riding a Bike

by aavandam



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Learning to Ride a Bike, daisy had a shitty childhood, papa phil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 07:54:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18517168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aavandam/pseuds/aavandam
Summary: One day Daisy makes a comment about never learning to ride a bike. Coulson makes it his personal mission to teach Daisy how to ride a freaking bike.





	Like Riding a Bike

It had been a few months since the team prevented the end of the world from “The Destroyer of Worlds”. Those months had been spent rebuilding SHIELD and SHIELD’S reputation with the general public. It had been a lot of politics and meetings, not much secret agent activity. They have finally gained back the trust of the public-or at least started on a much better path than they were previously-and the boring official stuff has slowed enough that the team can actually go out on a few missions rather than spend their days holed up in conference rooms. Coulson had just finished briefing the team on their mission and various roles and everyone scattered to prep. Daisy, however, stayed put due to the closest computer being less than five feet from where she was standing. She immediately got to work on the virus that was to be uploaded to the bank of computers found belonging to Hydra.

“You look happy. I know the bureaucracy isn’t exactly you’re cup of tea. How’s it feel to be back?” Coulson began after observing the smile Daisy had been trying, and failing, to hide since her fingers made contact with the keyboard. At Coulson’s words, Daisy broke out into a full-on grin.

“Awesome. And you’re right; I hate meetings and paperwork. I’m so happy we’re done with that and back to this.” Daisy replied, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“I think you’re a bit too excited about the fact that we found more Hydra equipment and have to infiltrate their base again.” Coulson added with a small smile. Daisy shrugged off his concern with a nonchalant shrug.

“It’s fine. We’ve done this a million times. It’s like riding a bike. Or so I’m told. Never actually ridden a bike. But you know what I mean.” Daisy responded, eyes glued to her screen. When she is met with silence, Daisy paused and looked up at Coulson to find him with his mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

“What?”

“You’ve never ridden a bike before? Like, a bicycle?” Coulson asked, incredulously.

“Just never got around to it, I guess. I was never at any of my foster homes long enough to get to the bike riding lessons, and we never had bikes at St. Agnes. Even if we did it’s not like the nuns were about to teach us.” Daisy answered nonchalantly while Coulson’s eyes got wider and wider with each word.

“What?” Daisy questioned, beginning to feel self-conscious, when Coulson continued to stare at her in silence like a goldfish. Coulson shook himself out of his dumbfounded stare and said,

“Okay we need to fix this, immediately.” Daisy snorted,

“We have a mission to complete, remember?” She pointed out to the older agent.

“The second we are back on base, you are getting on a bike and I am teaching you how to ride a bike. It is a tragedy that you haven’t learned yet. How did I not know this before today?” Skye laughed at his antics, and answered through her giggles,

“I didn’t think it was that important. I mean, it’s just a bike. I’m not here for my biking skills.” Coulson left looking indignantly at the back of Daisy’s head as she turned back to the code taking up the majority of her computer screen.

After Coulson pulled himself out of his stunned stupor, he immediately began planning how he was going to find time to make sure Daisy learned how to ride a bike. Moments like this always tug at his heart, learning of all the ‘normal’ milestones most people experience as a young child. It’s a sad reminder that Daisy has endured far more in her short life than most 80 year olds. But Coulson had made it his mission to give the young agent, who had become so much more to him, some of the joy and light-hearted fun her childhood sorely lacked.

 

-Next Day-

 

The mission had been a success with minimal surprises. After the team returned and all had the chance to get a good night’s sleep, Coulson made his way to Daisy’s bunk. He knocked lightly on the door.

“Come in.” Coulson entered the room and looked expectantly at Daisy, who was lounging on her bed with her laptop perched precariously on her lap.

“What?” Daisy asked at Coulson’s silence, dread rapidly pooling in her stomach.

“Let’s go. There’s a bike set up outside.”

“Coulson, that’s really sweet of you but it really isn’t necessary.”

“But I want to. Everyone should learn how to ride a bike at some point.” Daisy searched his face, looking for any sense that he was mocking her or, alternately, anyway she could talk herself out of this. Coming up short on both fronts, Daisy relented and got up.

“Alright, I’ll come. “ She sighed reluctantly while pulling on her boots. A wide smile spread itself across Coulson’s face at his victory.

Coulson led an anxious Daisy around the back of the base where no one was around and the cement was a long strip of uninterrupted flat blacktop. Standing proudly on the cement was an adult sized bicycle with training wheels installed on the back wheel.

“I watched a few Youtube videos to make sure I got the wheels on right. I even tested them by riding around myself.” Coulson explained nervously, hoping he hadn’t crossed a line or offended Daisy with the assumption of the training wheels. Daisy was stunned at how much effort and time Coulson put into this. It’s just a bike. She had never thought of it as a big deal, but apparently Coulson was going all out.

“Uhh, yeah. They look great. Very, um, sturdy.” Daisy answered, trying to remain unaffected but suddenly dangerously close to tears. Coulson grabbed the helmet hanging from the handlebars and held it out to Daisy. She took the plain black helmet (oh thank god) and fastened it around her chin.

“Now hop on.” Coulson all but shouted in his excitement. Daisy rolled her eyes and reluctantly got onto the bike, planting both of her feet firmly on the ground rather than the pedals, and placed her hands on the handlebars.

“Ok. So we’ll take this slow. Just put your foot on the pedal, and push off with the other foot. You won’t fall. The training wheels will keep you upright. Plus, I’m right here. And if you want to stop just push the brakes right here on the handlebars.” Cautiously, Daisy positioned her feet on the two pedals and very slowly began to move, with her eyes squeezed firmly shut. After a few seconds of very slow progress, Coulson spoke up.

“You can open your eyes. In fact, you probably should so you know where you’re going and you don’t run into anything.” Just then, Daisy’s front tire ran over a pebble. Daisy immediately hit the brakes and let out a high-pitched yelp.

“It’s okay! Just a small rock. Nothing to worry about!” Coulson rushed to reassure the terrified agent on wheels.

“Right. Okay.” Daisy took a deep breath. “Again?”

“Again. Try to keep your eyes open this time. You won’t be as startled if you can see what is in front of you.” Once again, Daisy positioned her feet on the pedals and began moving. She was already improving on her first attempt. Now she was moving at a more normal pace and she kept her eyes open and on the space in front of her.

“I’m doing it! Look Coulson! I’m riding a bike!” Daisy cheered, a wide smile taking residence on her face. She turned the bike around and rode back over to a very proud looking Coulson.

“Very good job! Should I take the training wheels off now, or do you want to practice a bit more with them still on?” After a moment of thought, Daisy responded while disembarking from the bike,

“Take them off. I want to try without them now.”

“Alright. Just give me a minute.” And in a flash Daisy was back on the bike, ready to take on the world. Or, at least the strip of cement in back of their base. With Coulson looking on with pride in his eyes, Daisy pedaled forward for the first time with no assistance. As she continued, Daisy became more and more confident on her new wheels. Soon she was biking circles around the strip of cement and Coulson was taking pictures with his phone when Daisy was not looking. He wanted to remember this. He wanted to remember the day that Daisy was able to take back something that had been denied to her for the majority of her childhood. And he helped her achieve it.

After a while the sun began to set, and the pair had returned inside to eat dinner with the rest of the team. As the two walked toward the kitchen, Daisy leaned over and hugged Coulson.

“Thank you, Dad.” She whispered, the emotions in her voice not allowing her to speak much louder without tears falling.

“You’re welcome, Angel Eyes.” Coulson replied as he squeezed his ‘daughter’ tighter for a fraction of a second before they came apart and continued their walk to the kitchen, both feeling considerably lighter and happier than they had in months.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it!! Kudos and comments are always appreciated!!


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